About This Coffee
Kagumoini Factory is located in Konyu, near the town of Karatina in Mathira Sub-county, Nyeri County. Built in 1993, it is one of 5 factories (as washing stations are called in Kenya) operated by the Mugaga Farmers’ Cooperative Society (FCS), which was established that same year following the split of the Mathira FCS. Originally formed by four wet mills, Mugaga expanded in 2005 with the addition of Gatina, bringing the total to five factories: Kagumoini, Kieni, Kiamabara, Gathugu and Gatina. This Fully washed AB lot features SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 and Batian varieties cultivated on small plots between 1,650 and 1,800 meters above sea level. The cherries are processed using clean water sourced from the nearby Ruiru River.
Cultivation
Smallholder farmers deliver cherry to Kagumoini from the surrounding area. Most farm small plots – on average 200 trees per farm. Farmers grow SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 and Batian on the fertile slopes of Nyeri County at elevations ranging from 1,650 to 1,800 meters. Cool temperatures and seasonal rains support slow cherry maturation and high bean density.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Ripe cherries are handpicked and delivered to Kagumoini Factory for processing. After sorting, cherries are pulped and fermented for 12 to 24 hours, depending on the weather at the time. After fermentation, the parchment is washed through grading channels using water from the nearby Ruiru river and then soaked in clean, circulating water for around 24 hours. This measure helps to manage drying bed availability at the peak of the harvest season while also having additional benefits for quality and longevity for the coffee itself. After soaking, parchment is delivered to dry on raised beds and/or solar driers where it will be raked regularly and covered during the hottest part of the day and evening to prevent damage to the parchment. Drying times at Kagumoini are usually 10 to 15 days, depending on weather.
About SL28 & SL34
SL28 and SL34 were two of the cultivars released by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) during the height of SAL’s research in Kenya in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the cultivars of choice for most growers thanks to their deep root structure that allows them to maximize scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation. SL varieties also had higher yields than the French Bourbon rootstock that they replaced and were known to be somewhat more disease resistant.
About Ruiru 11
Ruiru 11, a hybrid of Catimor and SL cultivars, is both Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) and Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) resistant. Plus, it can be planted at a much higher density than the SL varieties, making optimal use of small plots of land.
Ruiru 11 has slowly ‘taken root’ across most of Kenya’s coffee growing landscape. The only issues were that with a shallower root structure, many farmers found the plant less hardy in drought conditions, and the trees required a more intense feeding program. Over time, farmers have found that by grafting Ruiru-11 to SL varieties they could take advantage of SL trees’ expansive root system and still reap the increased yields and higher immunity to disease of Ruiru-11.
Due to the grafted Ruiru-11’s growing popularity, most farms in Kenya today, both big and small, have a mixture of Ruiru-11 and SL varieties. As SL trees age, many farmers are opting to turn more towards Ruiru-11 (or the grafting solution) thanks to its ease of use and higher resistance to diseases.
Source: https://varieties.worldcoffeeresearch.org/varieties/ruiru-11 & https://sucafina.com/na/news/think-you-know-kenya-coffee-varieties-think-again
About Batian
Developed by Kenya's Coffee Research Institute in 2010, Batian is named after the highest peak on Mt. Kenya and is resistant to both coffee berry disease (CBD) and coffee leaf rust (CLR). The variety has the added benefit of early maturity – cropping after only two years. Some challenges (such as vegetative structure) have prevented it from becoming widespread so far, but its popularity is certainly growing.
About Kirinyaga
Kirinyaga County is nestled at the foothills of Mt. Kenya, roughly 112 km from Nairobi. The region is well-known for its exceptional coffee. Sucafina partners with numerous coffee farmers and cooperatives in the region, working with them to improve processing capacity, access to agricultural inputs and agricultural practices.
The locals in this area call Mt. Kenya ‘Kirinyaga’, the namesake of the county, meaning the crest of whiteness due to its famous snow-capped peaks.
AB Grade
Kenyan coffees are classified by size. AB beans are those that are between screen size 15 and 18 meaning that beans are between 6 and 7 millimeters in size.
Coffee in Kenya
Though coffee growing had a relatively late start in Kenya, the industry has gained and maintained a impressive reputation. Since the start of production, Kenyan coffee has been recognized for its high-quality, meticulous preparation and exquisite flavors. Our in-country sister company, Sucafina Kenya, works with farmers across the country to ensure these exceptional coffees gain the accolades they deserve.
Today, more than 600,000 smallholders farming fewer than 5 acres compose 99% of the coffee farming population of Kenya. Their farms cover more than 75% of total coffee growing land and produce nearly 70% of the country’s coffee. These farmers are organized into hundreds of Farmer Cooperative Societies (FCS), all of which operate at least one factory. The remainder of annual production is grown and processed by small, medium and large land estates. Most of the larger estates have their own washing stations.
Most Kenyan coffees are fully washed and dried on raised beds. The country still upholds its reputation for high quality and attention to detail at its many washing stations. The best factories employ stringent sorting practices at cherry intake, and many of them have had the same management staff in place for years.